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ESSENTIAL V

e-Portfolio Essential V: Healthcare policy, finance and regulatory environments

Laura Ellis
Frostburg State University

ESSENTIAL V

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing provides specific qualifications

for nurses seeking a bachelors level competency in nursing practice. The AACN has nine
essential requirements of a professional nurse including number five; Healthcare Policy,
Finance, and Regulatory Environments. The focus of Essential V is that baccalaureate
nurses are able understand the relationship between healthcare policy and healthcare
practice. The baccalaureate educated graduate will have a solid
understanding of the broader context of health care, including how
patient care services are organized and financed, and how
reimbursement is structured (2008, p. 20).
Exemplar
The selected exemplar demonstrates the ability to identify a practice safety
concern and provides a professional approach to addressing the issues through a letter to
a Senator. The exemplar identifies nurse to patient ratios a serious concern and a threat to
patient safety. Senator Barbara Mikulski was selected as the recipient of the letter given
her history of protecting senior citizen rights and work as a social worker prior to
becoming a politician. This exemplar is reflective of what the AACN states is a
baccalaureate prepared nurse.
Reflection
The selected assignment is a well-written letter seeking to persuade Senator
Mikulski to vote for the Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act. The letter systematically
addresses the issue of nurse to patient ratios and uses evidence-based practice examples
to argue for Senator Mikulskis vote for this important patient safety bill. The AACN
seeks nurses who can demonstrate knowledge of healthcare policy and understand how

ESSENTIAL V

policy affects practice in the healthcare setting. As indicated by the AACN essentials,
baccalaureate prepared nurses participate in grassroots efforts to change public policy and
writing to a United States Senator, encouraging them to vote for a safe staffing act serves
to fulfill this requirement (2008, p.21). A nurse who understands the impact of public
policy on healthcare practice is able to better facilitate patient care and represents a true
professional. The letter written to Senator Mikulski represents not only a commitment to
positively influencing healthcare public policy but also to ability to use current practice
recommendations to persuade a politician to make a wise decision and vote for the safe
staffing act.

ESSENTIAL V

Reference
American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). (2008). The essentials of
baccalaureate education for professional nursing practice. Retrieved (date) from
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/education-resources/BaccEssentials08.pdf